Helicopter airplane



Oct. '20, 1925.

'r H BANE HELICOPTER Amrum: Filed April am 1925 5 sheets-sheet 1 4 3144x2144' o@ THuP/vA/Y H 15A/Yr @Nonna Oct. 20, 1925,

AjT.. H. BANE HELICOPTER AIRPLANE Filed April 30.v 1923 5 sneaks-sheet 2 INVENTOR THuEMA/Y H. A/YE 'HORN Gct. 20, 1925.

, T. H. BANE u HELIoPT'ER AIRPLANE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENI'OR Taz/@HAN H. BA ne.-

Filed April 30, 1923 ATTbR Y Oct. 20, 1925.

T-. H. BANE HELICOPTER AIRPLANE Filed April so, 192s 5 Sheets-Sheet V 4 k INVENTOR n Flu/@MAH H. BANK BYA '/V/ 'TORNEY ct. 42o, '1925. `-1,557,789

T. H. BANE HELICOPTER AIRPLAN Filed Apr-11 so, 1923 's'shaetssheet s D um@ a im w L 11111llllllllllllfllil V I i v 5 l v i l IN VEN TOR #fue MAH H. BA NE Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

UNITED sTATEs THURMAN H. BANE, F DAYTON, OHIO.

HELIOPTER AIRPLANE.

Application led April 30, 1923. Serial 110. 6735,749.

To all whom t may concern: Be it known that 1,.'1HURMAN H. BANE,

`. a citizen of the 'United States, residing at 411 West First' Street, Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Helicopter Airplanes, of .which the following is a specification. The invention relates in general to heavier-than-air flying machines and more particularly tbv a machine of this nature which will be capable of operation as an airplane or as a helicopter.

While a flying machine of the known helicoptgr type has the advantage of being able to rise 'vertically from the ground and descend vertically, serious difficulties may be met in obtaining the high horizontal front of the fuselage as usual, suitable tractor propeller adjustable, as for instance speed necessary to secure'broad use of the helicopter as a vehicle of locomotion. The airplane is capable of developing, with eiliciency, very hlgh horizontal speeds, but has the disadvantage of having a very high starting and landing speed. It is therefore the main object of this invention to unite together the advantages of both types'of machine by an adaption of the airplane for vertical flight. To this end the win sand horizontal stabilizers of the airp ane are used as lifting propellers as Well as for their respective functions.

I have chosen to show al monoplane in illustrating my invention, but in its broader scope the invention may be considered as an ordinary airplane of any type in which the Wings are replaced by liftlng prop'ellers of peculiar design, fixed to the fuselage by suitable out-riggers, the tail planes, or horizontal stabilizers, of the plane being replaced by smaller lifting propellers after the same manner. )The motor and horizontal ,propelling means are disposed at the transmission gearing and clutches control ling `the o eration of the tractor propellerand the li ing propellers.

I n changing the machine from a helicopter to an airplane, means are providedwhereby the blades of the main lifting propellers may beutilizadas lifting surfaces orv horizontal fli ht and the blades of the auxiliary tail4 li ing -propellers for horizontal fins or stabilizers.

It is further contemplated to make the tails hereinafter claimed.

yJanuary 17, 1922, so that the pitch may be set to the angle of no thrust 4while the machine is operating as a helicopter and the pitch gradually increased to the maximum as the machine is being changed from a helicopter to an airplane.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the pitch an 'leof the lifting means maybe differential y varied as between opposing screws to control lateral stability of they machine when operating as a helicopter and means whereby such means may e rendered inoperative at will.

Another object is to provide means whereby the pitch angle of one of the blades of each lifting means may ybe relatively varied in a' .manner to control lateral stability of the craft when operating as an airplane and means whereby such means are rendered inoperative'at will.

Another object is to provide means for initially positloning the blades of the lifting screws to any desirable angle of attack in all cases when operating as a helicopter and means whereby such means may be rendered inoperative at will. I

It is a further object of the invention to simplify and combine certain of the control means `for accomplishing the objects set forth above.. l

With 'the foregoing and other objects in view, which will more fully appear as the description of the preferred .embodiment of. my invention proceeds, the invention resides lin the combination of parts and de- Referring to the drawings Fig. 1` is a view in perspective ofthe helicopter airplane showingthe aircraft 1n its transformed arrangement as an airplane.

Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating the method of driving the lifting propellers.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sketch showing the arrangementof cable controls. for the front and rear blades.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of thecontrol stick and the cable connections 'controlling the blades.

Figs.- 5 and 6 are detail views of cable operating arms.

Figs. 7 and 8 are ros detail views ofi-the hand l wheel control for chan ing the pitch of the l,

blades simultaneously uring vertical ascent.

y its forward flight.

Fig. 9` is a side elevation of the engine clutch control lever.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are detail sectional views of the bladeJ tilting mechanism on the left hand side of thefuselage; Fig. 10 show- `ing both blades at an appreciable angle of incidence for forward flight; Fig. lllshowing the blades adjusted for unequal angles of incidence, and Fig. 12 showing one blade tilted for lateral stabilization.

Fig. 13 'is a diagrammatic view corresponding to Fig. 10 showing both blades at a normal planingngle.

Fig. 14 isa detail view showing the blades as a helicopter. A

Fio'. 15 is a diagrammatic View correl spondingto Fig. 12 showing the relative position of the blades while stabilizing.

In the drawings in which similar reference numerals designateA corresponding parts, l designates the fuselage at the front of which is a tractor propeller 2 which is of the well known variable pitch type. At each side of the fuselage is ay suitable supporting truss upoIrwhich are mounted the housings 3 which Yenclose the lifting pro-l peller support and operating mechanism for the main lifting and supporting blades 4, 5, 6 and 7. These propeller blades are of considerable length and width as shown and are adapted to rotate aroun-d vertical axes to provide a lifting means for the helicopter aircraft while ascending. After the ma- 3g chine has ascended to the desired height the` front tractor propelleris adjusted to drive the machine forward and the blades of the lifting propeller stopped and held stationary.. The angle of incidence is adjusted so that the blades will function as ordinary lifting planes and support the machine 1n The means for driving/and operating the blades 6, `7 on the left side of the aircraft are shown in Figsfll), 11 and 12 in which 8 designates thefixed slmporting shell; suitably mounted inthe caslngs 3. At its upper end the shell 8 freely carries the rotatable support .9 in which are revolubly mounted the' bladis 6 and 7. The blades are adjusted and-held at the desired angle of incidence b'y links 10, ll'which are pivotally attached to the blades at one end and at the other end are suitably fastened' to arms 12, 13. These arms rotatevwith the propeller .tionwof the blades.

blades, suitable ball bearings being provided between the arms vvand the rods 14, 15. It will be seen that as the 'rods 14, 15 are raised or lowered, the pitch of the blades 6, 7 will beadjusted whilevpermitting the free rota- Near the lower end of the rod 14 is a male screw thread 16 engagino' a. similar female thread in a part 31 ch is rotatably mounted within the shell eing rotated by, a; sprocket 32 which also nts-endwis'emovement of the sleeve 31.

` upon a suitable supporting truss.

Leerweg The rod l5 is provided with a thread 17' engaging a female thread lin memberl 14. The lower end of rod 15. is provided with a square shank 18 adapted for slidingin a square hole in sprocket 19 'so that as sprocket 19 is rotated the rod 15 is turned and screw thread 17 causes it to move upward to raise the arm 13 so as to tilt the blade 7. .Sprocket 20 which is slidably mounted on rod 14 -but which rotates therewith by means of asuitable pin and slot arrangement is adapted to rotate rod 14 to change the angle ofattack of the blade 6. f

rlhe propeller is rotated by gear 21 which is driven by the motor as will be later set forth. ,Rotatably mounted onshell 8 is a threaded membery 22 rotated by sprocket 23 for vertically moving the member 24 which is keyed to shell 8 so that it can slide verri.-

'cally thereon. As the member 24 is moved stop the rotation of the propeller blades, and

if the motor has been disconnected the propeller will be slowed down, permitting the projections 28 to enter the corresponding.

depressions 29, 30 in the upper clutch inember to stop the rotation of the propeller and hold it in the position as shown in Figure 1.

The projections 28 are of different shapesA so that the propeller when locked is always in the same position.

At the rear of the machine are provided two smaller liftin propellers having blades 4, 5', .6', and thev propellers being mounted one at each side of the fuselage It Jwill be understood .that the means for supporting, driving and operating thel two front and the two rear propellers are similar, but the propeller on the right side of the airplane, both front and rear, are provided with rods similar to rods 14 and 15 but which are provided with left-hand threads instead of the right-hand threads 16 and 17. In every case the center ,rod as rod 15, is connected to the outside blade 4,'7, 4', 7 when the blades are in their planing or stationary position, and is connected to a point ahead of the pivotal axes of the blade. l

As shown in Fig. 2 the motor 7l/is connected through suitable clutch members 72, 73, to bevel gear 34 fdriving vgears 35, connected to driving shaft 36, 1n which are splined shafts 37 which drive ears 38 at their o ter ends. Suitable universal joints 39 and 40 are provided to care for.

any flexing which may be caused by the upward pull at the outer-lends due tothe propeller lift. Each gearL 38 is adapted to en age and ldrive the corresponding gear 21 `o theV propellers.Vl The bevel gearA 34 and shafts 45.

o Mounted transversely of the fuselage in suitable bearing is a shaft 46 operated by hand lever 47 a d provided with operating levers 48 at each end, which areI connected u, to the corresponding sprockets 23'by wires 49 'and suitable sprocket chains. Connected to 'lever 47 is rod 50 which operates the clutch 72, 73, to disconnect same when the lever 47 is pushed Yforward, the movement..A of the lever 47 at the same time turning the sprocket 23 so ,as to lock The sprockets 23 of the rear propellers are operated simultaneousl with sprocket 23 o the front propellers y cables 49 extending rearwardly from levers 48.

vMounted for fore and aft pivotal movement on a longitudinal shaft 51 is a hand lever 52, and shaft 51v is mounted for rotational movement on bearings 53. Rotatably mounted on shaft 51 is a second shaft 54, which is connected to a disk 55' at the rear end of the same. Qn shaft 54 is a double ended lever 56. A second lever 57 is fixed on shaft 51. A third lever 58 is fixed. on a' shaft 59 which surrounds and is rotat'ableon 60 adjacent to disk 55. Disk 55 is provided with notches 61 and 62 and disktfmwith' notches 63 and 64. Whenl the blades-Eure in their stationary planing position, Iocliesl 6l and 64 are engaged by a latch 65 as shown in Fig. 5. Latch65 is adapted to bewithf drawn by handle 66 in order to permit lever 52 to move laterally to operate lever 57 alone for stabilizing action as will :be hereinafter described; Ntches- 67 in the lower part 0f disks 55 and- 60. are ,engaged when the aircraft is flying as -amairplane by a latch 68 operated by cables 69 which are connected to a lever on shaft 46 so that t-he latch 68 is Aengaged when-the rotation of the lifting blades is stopped;l and disengaged when fly-- ing as a helicopter to permit relative movement of the disks for changes in pitch of the lifting blades.

' Hand wheel 74 is provided with a gear 75 which' rotates shaft 76 -through gear 77 and cables 78. Rotation of shaft 76 moves `levers 56 and 58 in reverse directions when thegear 7 9 is moved into engagement with gears'80, 81`by a suitable foot operated lever as shown in Fig. 8.. ,The gear 79 is normally disenga ed except when vit is desired to manipuate handl wheel 74 to change the pitch of the inside.rblades so as to adjustthev blades to act as helicopters. A second '3295s later described- "ndlever 52 is adapted to loperate the rockets19' through rod 83, shaft 84 ers- 85, fpon fore and aft movements vall the lifting blades.

of the hand lever. It will he noted that the hand lever may operate levers 85 without being disengaged from disks 55 and 60 by pa-wl 68. The operation of the device is as follows: Y

When it is desired to ascend vertically from the ground the motor is set in operation and the joystick 52 examined. to see that locking pin .is in place as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. At this time the controls are positioned as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 10 and 13 with the lifting blades all at a positive angle of incidence to forward flight, the joy the propeller-s, 'stick 52 being in an upright position. The forward propeller 2 is rotating at a slow speed with .the blades at a neutral or no thrust position. The lever 47 1s now operated to release the brake clutch 26 and permit the propellers to rotate; also to disengage locking pin 68 and finally to connect theC motor to the yseveral drive shafts 36, 41 and 45 to start the blades rotating. The pitch of blades 5,' 6, 5', 6 is now reversed so that an upward'force will be exerted by This is done by 4a clockwise rotation of hand wheel 74, the clutch gear 79 beingA just thrown into engagement, which moves levers 56 and 58 to shaft 54 -and which is provided With vdisk the position shown in Fig. 6.- In order to permit rotation of wheel 74 it is first 4necessary to release the latch 65 by lever 66, and after the adj stment is made the latch is again engage It will be seen'that the described movement of wheel 74 rotates the sprockets 20 on all the lifting units inthe direc'tionof thefarrows a, .through the cables 86 and87. Sprocket 20 willv rotate rods 16 and raise 'the .rear edges of blades 6 and 6 on the left side of the airplane. The threads on the rod's 14 and 15 of the units on the right side of the airplane being left handed and the sprockets on that side being rotated oppositely from those on the left, the rear edge of blades 5 and 5 is also raised. The rod 15 will not move during such an operation as the' pitch of threads 16 and 17v is the same.

After the blades have been adjusted to equal but opposite angles of incidence so as to exert a llfting force when rotated in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 1. The angle of incidence of all of the blades may be increased or` decreased to exert a greater or lesser upward force on the aircraft. This is done y rotating the handwheel 82 which operates cables 89 and 90 for the two main lifting units and a foot lever 91/-Which opcrates cable 92 and 93 for the two rear units. Movement of cables 89, 90, 92' and 93 in the direction of the arrows b will raise both rods 14--and 15 and pull upon the rear tion and of the screw pitch being .opposite from that on the left side of the aircraft.

If it is desired to stabilize the machine while flying as a helicopter, this is done by sidewise movement of joy stick 52 which decreases the pitch of the blades "4 and 5 and increases the pitch of blades 6 and 7 or vice versa. It will be'seen that movement of the lever 52 to the left as shown in arrow c, Fig. 4, will rotate the sprockets 19 and 2O of the blades 4, 5,` 6 and 7 as shown in arrows c, Fig. 3, to increase the pitch of the blades on the left side of the aircraft inorder to right the machine.

When it is desired to operate as an airplane the lever 47 is operated, stopping the,Y

blades which are adjusted to their airplaning positions by operating the handwheels 74 and 82. JThe forward propeller 2 is thrown in pitch and the machine moves forward. While flying as an airplane the latch 68 -is engaged with notches 67 and latch 65 is disengaged. When it is desired to stabilize for lateral unbalance the joy stick 52 is moved laterally which increases the' angle of incidence of the` outside blade only on one side, while decreasing the angle of `the outside blade on the other side of the aircraft, the sprockets 19 of the front units being the only sprockets so operated. VFor tilting the machine up or down the stick 52 is moved forwardly or rearwardly which tilts both outside blades 4 and 7 at the rear of the machine in the same direction in the same manner as the Operation of a horizontal rudder. During such` foreand aft operation of stick 52 the latch 65 remains engaged with notches 64 and 61 as shown in Fig. 5.

It will be understood that the principle of my invention may lie-applied to airplanes yor multiplanes, or that only One propeller may be used in the rear of the craft' -for controlling the angle of flight. I' therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise .details of the construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the appended claims.,

I claim v 1. In a flying machine in combination, two aerofoils at each side of .the forward portion of the machine, two aerofoils at each side of the rear part of the machine, means f or rotating all of said aerofoils about approximately vertical axes, means for stopping all of said aerofoils at predetermined positions, means for adjusting the angle of ing propellers, said last mentioned meansv including mechanism for simultaneously changing the angle of incidence of one front aerofoil at each side of the machine for lateral stability while the remaining front aerofoils remain fixed.

2. In a heavier Athan air ying machine, a fuselage, a tractor propeller supported by the fuselage, an Outrigger at each side of the forward portion of the fuselage, a main lifting propeller supported by each Outrigger, a smaller Outrigger at each side of the rear of the fuselage, an auxiliary lifting propeller supported by each smaller Outrigger, means for stopping all of said lifting propellers, a hand operated device for reversing half the number of blades of each lifting propeller and simultaneously adjustin the remaining blades of the lifting prope ler so that all the said blades are set at a positive angle of.

incidence to forward flight when said propellers are not rotating.

3. In a iying machine, a fuselage, a tractor propeller supported by the fuselage, an

Outriggerv at each side of the fuselage, a

main lifting propeller supported by each Outrigger, an auxiliary lifting propeller at each side of the fuselage, means for rotating said lifting propellers, means for stopping lever 4operative when said aerofoils are acting as stationary planin aerofoils to effect lateral stability by reverse y tilting one of said stationary aerofoils on each side of the longitudinal axis of the airplane and additional means forsimultaneously varying the pitch of all said aerofoils.

In testimoy whereof I affix :ply

THURMAN BANE.

signature. 

